Bacon, roasted squash, and spinach salad – a weeknight treat

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drinkLeave a comment

In the refrigerator there were a few slices of bacon, a small Delicata Squash, and some spinach that needed using, the motivation and genesis of an idea that worked out well.

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I cut the bacon into pieces approximately ¼” wide and lightly cooked them, but not long enough to brown. While the bacon cooked I peeled the squash. Quick tip: Use a potato peeler instead of a knife to peel squash.

I diced the squash into 1/2″ cubes. Then mixed the bacon and the squash cubes in a glass baking dish, drizzled with a small amount of olive oil and placed in a 400F convection oven. (Next time I think I will just add the squash to the fry pan and place the whole pan in the oven)

When the squash was almost soft I put water on to poach eggs, one per serving.

All that was left was assembly. A pile of spinach leaves, either raw or very lightly steamed, then the squash and bacon mix on top, followed by the poached egg. Garnished with a bit of Parmesan cheese and dinner was served.

Quick and easy, not too many dishes – my kind of weekday dinner.

I bought a walking stick in Avignon

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Europe 2013, Trips and travelLeave a comment

Down a narrow lane near the Palais de Papes, on the rue de la Monnaie, you will find a small wine shop, the Cave du Bouffart. Through a narrow door, down a few steps, into a space the size of a compact bedroom is a wonderful selection of local wines and wine paraphernalia, where you will be greeted by the most pleasant, “bonjour!”

There next to the counter stood a bin of dark, glistening walking sticks, more attractive at the moment than the wine. I picked one out, aware that getting a five foot stick with a semi-pointed end through all the security checks between Avignon and Seattle would be a challenge. The proprietor explained that it was made of chestnut, the stain is like a deep cherry, engraved with “Cave du Bouffart, Avignon.”

There is something about a walking stick that says slow down. Whether it is a ramble up a mountain trail, or strolling elegantly down Oxford Street in London, a stick in one’s hand defies hurry. I walked down the rue de la Monnaie, stick in hand, it’s metal tip taping on the old stone pavement, each metallic tap reinforcing my commitment to slow down, to remember the pace of Provence in the hype of Seattle.

My stick tapped along the streets of Gordes, through vineyards, up the path leading to the chapel in Moustiers Sainte Marie. I carried it on the train from Lyon to Paris, and then Paris to London, and all the way home to Seattle.

If Sting can carry a walking stick in “An Englishman in New York” then I just might start carrying mine down the streets of Seattle.

Rainy days, gardens, tea, and old books

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Uncategorized1 Comment

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Rainy days hold pleasant surprises when you travel, yet you probably won’t see them on the Travel Channel. Another of my travel maxims is, “Don’t let the weather decide how much fun you have.”

Rainy days make a cup of tea taste the best. The Bath Bun tea shop in Bath, England is a wonderful place anytime, but on a cold rainy day tea upstairs in this building that is a couple hundred years old is amazing. A “Bath Bun” is a round roll, sweetened with sugar on top and bottom with currants or other dried fruits inside. We had tea, a pot of chamomile and a pot of English Breakfast. With rain outside, tea to warm the inside, and some good conversation it just does not get any better. Without the rain we might not have stopped to rest as we should, thank you rain.

The owner of a small used book shop gave us tickets to a book fair that was to be held at the Bath Assembly Rooms, part of the local government. The first benefit was free admission to the building, but the real treat was a book fair on a rainy cold day. Booksellers from around England we’re there with an amazing offering of old books. Bibliophiles such as us could spend hours and many Pounds with ease.

It was there that I was introduced to the Victorian Journal, two were offered and worth every penny of the £300 he was asking, unfortunately that amount did not sit well with my budget at the time so I resignedly passed them by. During the Victorian era one would have a blank journal, and when spending time with a friend they would exchange their journal and each would make an entry. Some entries were watercolor paintings, a poem, maybe a drawing, or a political comment. These two journals were a wonder, filled with memories of another time; a reminder that things did not always move so fast and that people took time to connect. Without the rainy day diversion we may have missed this wonder.

On the rainy morning of our last day in Bath we took a walk through the Royal Botanical Gardens. If you want to avoid crowds visit a garden on a rainy day, you will have it mostly to yourself, yet you will find a beauty in nature that the fair-weathered folks miss. Rain drops falling of trees, grasses with glistening drops, even a flower sparkling from the rain.

We met a friend, from behind a shrub a small white cat almost ran up to say hello, as if waiting for some company. He rubbed up against our legs and followed for a bit, then led the way through part of our walk.

A cup of tea, some old books and journals, a cat to guide us through a beautiful park – all on rainy days. Three of the most memorable moments of our time in Bath were in the rain. Some would complain bout the weather, I think the weather added to the day. On a rainy day a bit of imagination and a jacket are all you need to find memories to cherish.

Tuscan beans, a quick lunch!

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drink1 Comment

 

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Working from home does not mean boring lunches. I whipped these Tuscan Beans in about 15 minutes. It is good to treat yourself well even when you are eating alone.

Started by dicing a bit of onion and clove a garlic, sauté them for a bit

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Then add drained canned beans, (cannellini, pinto, or any other light bean). Mix in canned diced tomatoes. Good ratio is half as much tomato as beans. Season generously with oregano, basil, thyme; salt and pepper to taste. Then let simmer until most of the liquid evaporates.

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How easy is that, and if you are your own boss go ahead and have a glass of red wine, the Italians would and they get a lot of work done.

My philosophy in the kitchen!

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Food and drinkLeave a comment

Great meal at homeA loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou
Beside me singing in the wilderness —
And Wilderness is Paradise enow. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Do you find cooking a chore?  “A task, especially a difficult, unpleasant, or routine one.” (Wiktionary)

My goal is to simplify cooking, make it a pleasant experience, and uncover your hidden creativity. Why? So you can enjoy food and the process of preparing it, then you may discover that cooking is experienced best when it is shared; companionship in the kitchen is the perfect way to make a friend, unwind at the end of the day, and build relationships.

With just a bit of tweaking I think Omar got it right.

A French baguette, a glass of wine, and you
Beside me in the kitchen –
And my world is Paradise right now.

First step: Quit following recipes.

We have all looked at recipes in a magazine; first we read the name to see if it “sounds good.” If there is a word we don’t understand or an ingredient that is unfamiliar or that we do not really love we reject the whole recipe and move on. If the name does not turn us off then we scan the list of ingredients, concluding that the more there are the more difficult it is to cook. If we have not yet turned the page we count the number of steps, too many and this dish has lost any chance.

Food magazines and cookbooks are wonderful things, they provide ideas and can in fact teach us a new technique, but they are best not treated as an instruction manual. This book will have no intimidating ingredient lists, no “creative named concoctions,” and steps so simple that once you try them you will never forget them.

Second step: Learn basic techniques

Great cooks and chefs do not memorize recipes; they learn basic techniques that allow them great creativity.

If you can do these, you can create wonderful meals, easily.

  • Boil water
  • Chop or dice some ingredients
  • Put a frypan on the stove & turn the stove on
  • Poach an egg – this will be the toughest thing you need to learn
  • Approximately measure some liquids and powders
  • Check your watch or set a timer
  • Put a pan under the broiler
  • Stir with a wooden spoon

If you can boil water you can

  • Make soups and stews
  • Make pasta
  • Make a hard boiled egg, and with a little effort poach an egg (a mainstay of French cooking)

If you can put a sauté pan (think fry pan with rounded sides) on the stove, set the temperature, and stir or flip occasionally, you can

  • Sauté mushrooms for a quick sauce
  • Make Panini in a flash
  • Sauté a chicken breast to go with the sauce
  • Cook salmon, and have people rave over it
  • Turn boring vegetables into something amazing
  • Prepare a couple of deserts worthy of a white table cloth brasserie

If you can turn the oven on and figure out the difference between the baking and broiling setting you can

  • Make a flatbread – and never need to mix and knead dough
  • Frittatas and even a simplified omelet
  • Roast vegetables, people will ask how you did it

These are all pretty simple, and when you combine a couple of them it just gets better as you have such a wide range of variations that you will never be bored by what to eat.

Third step: This is art not engineering

Measuring

Good cooks quickly learn that there are very few measurements that must be precise. Here are a few of the terms you will learn to use

  • Some
  • A few
  • A little
  • A lot
  • A dab
  • A pinch

If you are cooking and you put “some” in but it does not taste like you put enough in then put in “a little more.” If the idea of using “a lot” seems risky, then start with “some”, adding a “few more” until it is “a lot” and tastes the way you like it.

Now this is important – if you try the dishes in this book and they work for you just as written well that is great, but I doubt that will happen. I rarely cook the same thing the same way twice and I hope you don’t either. The seasonings and such in this book are the way I make them sometimes, I do hope by the time you have tried them a few times you will find that they need “a dab” more of this or “a pinch” less of that. I do know that the way they are written will turn out a dish you can enjoy and be proud of, but it is my desire that you will make each one of your own.

Time

You cannot cook with a stopwatch! Times are approximations, stoves and ovens are all different, even things like altitude, and moisture in the ingredients will affect cooking. The more you cook the better you will get, but rest assured that all of us have taken an expensive steak off the heat too soon and watched in dismay as guests cut into a raw piece of meat, or cooked a piece of fish until it is inedible. You will too, and you will survive.

There are chefs out there with a lot more training and credentials than I will ever have, they own fancy restaurants and love to pontificate on the evils of cutting into a piece of meat to see if it is done, as if you risk banishment from all kitchens should you commit such a sin. Well I agree it is better to not cut, but given a choice of serving under or over cooked meat, I say go for it.

I can only think of a few things that require some precision regarding time, here are two:

  • Soft and hardboiled eggs
  • Rice

So the real secret is to simplify, turn disasters into adventures, and escape from perfection. So what if you are not Bobby Flay or Emeril! The goal is to have fun and end up with something good to eat. Remember the old quote, “To make an omelet you have to break some eggs!”

The Bookman’s Tale – il est parfait

On By Terry ChristophersonIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

9781101622803_p0_v1_s260x420A few days ago, overwhelmed with the “serious” reading I have been doing I went on a search for diversionary escape. Books like “Possession” by AS Byatt,  a literary suspense sort of thing, came to mind. The result of the search pleasantly turned up “The Bookman’s Tale” by Charlie Lovett.

So far it is just what I needed, intrigue that connects a 100 year old watercolor, a valuable old book, and  the authenticity of Shakespeare. What more could you want, throw in a bit of romance and intrigue, add some tea and a fire, il est parfait.

Room 14 and a chapel on the hill

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Been there - places, Europe 2013, Hotels, Trips and travelLeave a comment

IMG_0146Route de Moustiers (Route D952) goes through Roumoules and winds 7.5 miles toward

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Moustiers is a small village that sits in the rugged mountains of Alpes de Haute Provence in France, existing since at least the mid 1700’s it is listed as one of the most beautiful cities in France, which is well deserved.

We stayed in Room 14 at the Hotel le Relais, an inn at the center of town. Remodeled in recent years they have managed to keep the old world charm with such modern fixtures as electronic keys. If the front doors are locked, as they may be, there is a passageway to the left that takes you to a small courtyard, next to a church. There is a door there for guests into the hotel.

Room 14 is worth the extra, the best place we stayed in on our entire 3-week journey. It is the largest room in the hotel, but it is the two floor to ceiling French doors that open to a breathtaking view of the valley and the mountains in the distance that makes you just want to grab a bottle of Cote de Rhone red wine, a baguette from the bakery next door, some cheese from a shop down the way, and sit. So that is exactly what we did.

We watched the sun set behind the mountains across the valley while we reminisced about the almost 3 weeks we had already spent in Europe. That afternoon was certainly one of the highlights of the entire trip. From our deck we watched cars drive the D952 toward Moustiers or destinations beyond. Below us travelers and locals walked by on the stone walks, cars delicately navigated the narrow streets.

IMG_0161 As darkness fell, lights came on around the city. Standing on the small deck I looked to the left, away from the valley and toward the hill that the city sits on. A bright light shined on a small chapel, Chapelle of Saint Anne, the yellow light making the rose colored stucco stand out against the blue-black sky, the roof and cross just visible above the tops of the city and houses; poised as if watching over the city below.

At 7.00am the next morning I climbed the winding narrow streets in the dark, occasionally illuminated by a random light, my passing recognized only by a startled dog behind a fence and a hedge. The light was still on at the chapel, illuminating the gate and stairs leading through an ancient gate to the cemetery, weather worn stones testifying to the age and lives spent on these hills.

I sat on the low stone wall at the entrance to the chapel and read the Morning Office. Colors gradually appeared on the distant hills as darkness gave way to the dawn. By the time I finished the Gospel reading it was light enough to call it day. To the right of the chapel, an olive orchard reveled itself in the dawn, I had a sense that I had been praying in Getthsemine

Kestrel is back home – wisdom from a well travelled bird

On By Terry ChristophersonIn Europe 2013Leave a comment

IMG_0642After flying over 12,000 miles, 3 train journeys, 7 cities in 3 countries Kestrel is back home in Washington. Kestrels are one of the smallest falcons; so flying at 35,000 feet from Seattle to Europe was quite an adventure, but Kestrel did it with confidence and class.

His adventure began at Sea-Tac airport in Seattle, from there to London, with a brief layover in Chicago; by the end of his first day he had certainly traveled further than any other Kestrel had ever traveled and this was only the beginning.

Early the next morning he boarded a train for the city of Bath Spa in Western England.  He visited Paddington Bear at the train station on his way out of town. Bath is famous for the Roman Baths, still standing 2000 years after they were built. The Romans who visited the baths would not have been surprised to see a falcon; they used them for sport and hunting. Kestrel was sighted at the Royal Circle in Bath, even today it is where those with culture and class live, he fit right in. Kestrel Port is comfortable and adds to the class of any setting.

Barcelona, Spain was his next stop.  Kestrel was sighted at Place Catyluna, one of the busy hubs in the heart of the city; however he found the Gaudi architecture a bit gaudy. Next stop – Madrid.

Madrid is statelier, there he visited the Royal Palace, patterned after Versailles in Paris, but not near as elaborate. He was sighted again at the train station, fascinated by the huge tropical garden right in the center of the station.

With two countries added to his passport Kestrel headed for Lyon, France. A two-hour car ride stretched to 3 hours thanks to the frustration of trying to navigate the confusing knotted streets of Avignon. Kestrel spent the next week in the South of France and was sighted again in Moustiers Saint Marie, a wonderful little town built around an ancient monastery and church built high in the rocky mountains of Eastern Provence.

It was a wonderful adventure for such a little bird, now he waits patiently for the culmination of it all when he will again be the center of attention at a post-trip party. What better way to reminisce than with a glass of Kestrel Port and a bite or two of dark chocolate?

What advice would Kestrel pass along? That life is full of wonderful adventures, some close to home, some far away. There is good food, friends, and beauty. That in a world that moves too fast, gets stressed, and has its share of negativity, it is important to take time to slow down. So call up a friend, slice some cheese, open a bottle of wine and recharge.

When the conversation moves to your next adventure, Kestrel is waiting for your call.